Book talk from a mother and daughter who are passionate about reading.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Bird Child

My kids are in their preteen/teen years now, so I haven't kept up with newer picture books. However, I kept running into author Nan Forler, who lives in my community, and decided to pick up Bird Child, published by Tundra Books.

The story is about Eliza, a girl who can "fly". Ever since she was a baby, her loving mother has been encouraging her to see all the possibilities in her life. One day, she sees children bullying the new girl at school, Lainey. Summoning her courage, Eliza shows how she can indeed "see what can be" and make things better in the world.

The writing is lovely and lyrical, and the story conveys a great message for kids. With the stunningly beautiful illustrations from Francois Thisdale, this book would make an excellent gift for a special child.